Season preview: HoopsHD interviews UC Irvine SR PG Deja Lee

Posted on October 22, 2024 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE For All of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

We are still about 2 weeks away from the tip-off of a new college basketball season, which means that we have plenty of time to start preparing for the action ahead. We will do so via a series of season previews featuring the best players/coaches in the country. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage with UC Irvine SR PG Deja Lee, who talked about a future in neurosurgery and her expectations for this season.

You were born/raised in Canada: how big is basketball up north? Basketball has grown over the years, especially the women’s game, compared to when I was young. I would not say that it is more popular than hockey, but it has garnered more attention and excitement towards it as the years have gone by, especially considering the growing number of Canadians in the NBA (and even in the NCAA).

What made you choose UC Irvine? I did not spend much time at UCI when I first came down: I only came on an unofficial visit just before COVID hit. After meeting the coaches and touring the campus, I had this feeling in my gut that I was supposed to be here, and I could really envision myself at the school. I also loved the fact that UCI is a research institution, and the entire coaching staff made me feel so welcome and that they truly cared about me as a person and not just a basketball player.

You play for Coach Tamara Inoue: what makes her such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from her so far? One thing that makes Coach T such a good coach is that she is very detail-oriented. She will never let things slide if we are not performing up to a certain standard, even if it is something as small as running to the corners and touching the baseline in transition, and those little things really do go a long way. The most important thing I have learned from her so far is that you always have a little extra to give, even when you are exhausted. In other words, you are tougher than you think you are.

You played in 29 games as a freshman: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? My freshman year was one of my most difficult overall. I struggled a lot in games and practices but the one thing I took pride in was my defensive intensity.

Last year you set a school record with 82 STL: what is the secret to being a great defender? One thing that I always tell myself is that I am not going to let my opponent get by me, and I do everything in my power to make sure that does not happen. One thing our coaches tell us is that if we are tired, the other team must be exhausted, so all it takes is an extra push to cause a turnover or slow the ball down.

You finished the year by being named conference POY: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It felt very rewarding to be recognized with such an award…but honestly that was not a focus for me at any point in the season. One of the best feelings was when my teammates surrounded me and cheered for me when I found out that I got the award after practice one day: it was a really humbling moment to see how proud they all were of me.

Take me through the 2024 postseason:
In the Big West tourney title game you scored 21 PTS in a win over UC Davis en route to being named tourney MVP: how were you able to play your best when it mattered the most? I try to bring my best to every game, and playing on a stage as big as the Big West Championships raises the excitement tenfold. I think it is a combination of the excitement of playing in March and being part of something our team has been working towards all year that makes playing in those games that much more special.

In the NCAA tourney you scored 13 PTS in a loss to Gonzaga: what did you learn from the loss that you think will help you this season? March Madness was a new experience for our whole team, and I think having the confidence to know that we were right there with teams ranked higher than us was a big takeaway.

You are majoring in biological sciences and want to be a neurosurgeon: how did you choose that career path? I have been interested in the human brain ever since a science project I did during elementary school. That interest has really followed me as I continued my education into college, and I am passionate/encouraged by the fact that there still is so much to discover about the human brain. To turn that into a profession where I would be able to help people in real-time as a surgeon would be a dream come true for me.

Your mother played college volleyball, and your father played college basketball: who is the best athlete in the family? I would say that the best athlete is my “baby” brother, Zane. He is only 13 right now but is already a better basketball player than anyone in our family was at that age!

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? One goal for me this upcoming season is to be more of a vocal leader on the court. It is a little outside of my comfort zone, but I have been trying to be more assertive with my voice in addition to my game overall.

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Sun Belt Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 22, 2024 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE For All of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

SUN BELT MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Arkansas State
  2. James Madison
  3. Troy
  4. Louisiana
  5. Southern Miss
  6. Appalachian State
  7. Texas State
  8. Georgia Southern (tied 8th)
  9. Old Dominion (tied 8th)
  10. Marshall
  11. South Alabama
  12. Georgia State
  13. Coastal Carolina
  14. UL Monroe

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-SBC 1ST TEAM:

-Mark Freeman – SR, G – James Madison
-Kobe Julien – SR, F – Arkansas State
-Hosana Kitenge – SR, F – Louisiana
-Nate Martin – SR, F – Marshall
-Myles Rigsby – SO, F – Troy

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-SBC 2ND TEAM:

-Obinna Anochili-Killen – SR, F – Marshall
-Tayton Conerway – SR, G – Troy
-CJ Huntley – SR, F – Appalachian State
-Toneari Lane – SR, G – Georgia State
-Taryn Todd – SR, G – Arkansas State

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-SBC 3RD TEAM:

-Xavier Brown – JR, G – James Madison
-Andre Curbelo – SR, G – Southern Miss
-Tyrel Morgan – SR, F – Texas State
-Izaiyah Nelson – JR, F – Arkansas State
-Myles Tate – SR, G – Appalachian State

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Arkansas State won 20 games last season, which was their best season in quite some time, and with three key starters back including Kobe Julien (who is one of the top players in the conference), expectations are high for the Red Wolves this year. Bryan Hodgson enters his second year as head coach and he has done a fantastic job turning this program around and is a rising coaching star. They were absolutely on fire down the stretch, winning 10 of their last 11 games before losing in the Sun Belt Championship game to James Madison. Taryn Todd and Derrian Ford are two other players to watch as well: both averaged double figures last year.

-James Madison had a remarkable season last year winning 32 total games, cracking the rankings for a good portion of the season, and advancing to the Round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament. The magic actually started on opening night with their overtime win at Michigan State and that just set the tone. Unfortunately, most of that team is now gone, including Coach Mark Byington. Preston Spradlin takes over and is tasked with rebuilding the talent on the roster. While they do have some nice pieces coming in including Mark Freeman (who missed last season at Morehead State due to an injury), asking them to repeat what they did last season is a very tall order.

-Troy has managed to win 20 games in each of the last three seasons, and finished a very respectable 3rd place in a pretty tough conference a year ago. This is a team that may be poised to have a bit of a breakout year. Three starters are back, including Myles Rigsby who was voted Freshman of the Year in the conference a year ago. In addition to the three starters, Tayton Conerway is also back after seeing significant minutes off the bench last year and was voted 6th man of the year. I really like this Troy team. I think Scott Cross is a phenomenal coach and have been saying that since before he even arrived at Troy, and while it has taken some time for them to get all the way to the top, this may be the year the Trojans do it. In fact, they are my pick to win the league.

-The Ragin’ Cajuns of Louisiana!!! They struggled down the stretch last year after looking really strong in the first half of conference play. It was as if they suddenly could not hit any shots. They did lose some key players to the portal, but they also have some key pieces back and add a few solid looking players as well. If they can hit their shots, they should be a tough team to beat.

-Southern Miss is starting completely over after a bit of a rough season last year. All five starters are gone and they appear to be looking toward transfers who were key players at some lower division schools to contribute this year.

-Appalachian State had a HOT HOT HOT season last year where they won 25 total games, finished in 1st place in the conference before losing in the semifinals of the SBC Tournament. They did not get the early season wins that James Madison got, so they were not inside the bubble at the end of the season, but by the end of the year they looked like an NCAA Tournament team. The bad news is that none of the starters from that team are back, and they are now having to look to rebuild. Coach Dustin Kerns does have some pieces including CJ Huntley (who is a strong forward who can also hit from the outside), so I am a little surprised they were picked as low as 6th this year, but I guess it makes sense considering most of their key players departed. Myles Tate, who was a former key player for Butler, is also on the roster. I definitely think they have pieces to be better than their preseason expectations.

-Texas State showed some signs of life down the stretch after what was mostly an unspectacular season. They did win six straight before losing in the semis of the SBC Tournament, and with three starters back there is reason to think that some of that momentum can carry over into this year. Tyrel Morgan, who missed most of last season due to injury, is also back, so that alone should give them a bit of a boost.

-Georgia Southern won just 9 total games a year ago, but somehow was starting to come to life at the very end of the year, and nearly upset Appalachian State in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament. So, is there reason to hope this year? Three starters are back, including Eren Banks who was their top scorer. That experience, and how they seemed to be better at the end of the year, could be signs that we will see improvement this year.

-I remember when Old Dominion used to be consistently good, and even landed inside the bubble a few times. Those days now seem like a long time ago, and given that they won just 7 total games a year ago the expectations are not high at all for them this year.

-Cornelius Jackson takes over as head coach at Marshall, and is tasked with turning things back around for the Thundering Herd. They won just 13 games a year ago, and while they were strong the year before, they haven’t been consistently good from year to year in a while. Obinna Anochili-Killen/Nate Martin appear to make up a rather solid frontcourt, and that alone should help them out this year. They have two guards transferring in from NAIA and if they can get contributions from them we may see some improvement this year.

-South Alabama has two starters returning, and in these days that actually seems like a fair amount of experience. Other than that, they are transfer heavy, but very few of the transfers have solid D-1 experience (or any D-1 experience at all), so it could be a tough year for the Jaguars.

-Georgia State. It just seems like as a program they should be better. And there was a time when they were. But it has been a while since they’ve managed 20 or more wins, they only won 14 total games last year which was their second straight losing season, and expectations are not all that high this year. Toneari Lane returns, and he is a very solid guard, but he will need some help if the Panthers are going to finish in the top half of the league.

-Coastal Carolina is another program that does not seem to be anywhere near as good as they should be. As Big South members they were regular conference frontrunners, but since joining the Sun Belt they have fallen off, and last year they fell WAAAY off when they failed to win 10 games. The campus is right in Myrtle Beach: it seems like they should be reeling in recruits left and right! Justin Gray takes over as head coach, he has just one starter back, and is tasked with rebuilding the Chanticleers program.

-It has been a while since UL Monroe has had a winning season…and it does not appear that they have the pieces to do very well this year.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews new Canisius coach Jim Christian

Posted on October 21, 2024 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE For All of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

We are still about 2 weeks away from the tip-off of a new college basketball season, which means that we have plenty of time to start preparing for the action ahead. We will do so via a series of season previews featuring the best players/coaches in the country. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage with new Canisius coach Jim Christian, who talked about why he took the job and his expectations for this season.

You played for Ralph Willard in high school (before later becoming his college assistant) and Rick Pitino/Tom Penders in college: what was the most important thing that you learned from that terrific trio? I learned the way they handled every day and attacked the whole job: I still use things every day from those guys.

In 1988 as a player at Rhode Island your team made the Sweet 16: what was it like to face Jim Boeheim/Mike Krzyzewski back-to-back in March? I coached against them later in life: it was not fun! However, anytime you get to play in March it is fun.

As an assistant to Stan Heath at Kent State in 2002 your team made the Elite 8 before losing to Indiana: what is your favorite memory from that remarkable run? It was all a great memory: every player/game/day, and is something I will never forget.

1 of the stars of that team was Antonio Gates: could you tell at the time that he was going to become 1 of the best tight ends in NFL history? I thought he could be the best at anything: he was the best basketball player I ever watched due to his basketball IQ and the way he prepared himself. He never got rattled and could have been a great NBA player if he had wanted to.

You were a 2-time MAC COY as coach at Kent State: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? Those are staff awards: I was happy for my staff, all of whom later became head coaches.

In 2021 you were inducted to the Kent State Hall of Fame: where does that rank among the highlights of your career? I spent about 9 years of my life there and met my wife there. To be recognized for what our teams accomplished is not lost on me: it was the most fun that I ever had.

Last April you were hired as head coach at Canisius: why did you take the job, and how is it going so far? It is going great and I am loving every single day. I wanted to go to a place that had not had a ton of success so hopefully we can put something together that will be remembered.

Your roster has players from 5 different foreign countries (Australia/Canada/the Netherlands/Nigeria/Sweden) and 8 different states (CA/GA/MA/MI/NC/NY/OH/WI): what sort of recruiting philosophy do you have? It is not a philosophy: just the state of college basketball in 2024. I want the best guys I can get who will buy into the things we are doing. A lot of them were already here.

Your season opener in 2 weeks will be in Tucson: how do you feel about getting thrown right into the fire in your team’s very 1st game? That is what happens at this level of basketball. Those are the games that kids want to play, which is part of recruiting. We will not play a bunch of non-D-1 schools to build some fake momentum. We will see what Arizona can expose and then learn how we can get better and do what we need to do at the right time.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? The goals/expectations are the same: we want to represent the MAC in the NCAA tourney. There is no other goal, and it is a hard thing to do, but that is the only reason to play the game.

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SEC Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 21, 2024 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE For All of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

SEC MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Alabama
  2. Auburn
  3. Tennessee
  4. Arkansas
  5. Texas A&M
  6. Florida
  7. Texas
  8. Kentucky
  9. Ole Miss
  10. Mississippi State
  11. South Carolina
  12. Georgia
  13. Missouri
  14. LSU
  15. Oklahoma
  16. Vanderbilt

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-SEC 1ST TEAM:

-Mark Sears – Alabama
-Johni Broome – Auburn
-Walter Clayton Jr. – Florida
-Zakai Zeigler – Tennessee
-Wade Taylor IV – Texas A&M

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-SEC 2ND TEAM:

-Grant Nelson – Alabama
-Jonas Aidoo – Arkansas
-Johnell Davis – Arkansas
-Matthew Murrell – Ole Miss
-Josh Hubbard – Mississippi State

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-SEC 3RD TEAM:

-Chad Baker-Mazara – Auburn
-Alex Condon – Florida
-Jaxson Robinson – Kentucky
-Collin Murray-Boyles – South Carolina
-Tramon Mark – Texas

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-My overall thought is that it is insane how good this conference is this year!!

-Alabama won 25 games a year ago and made it all the way to the Final Four. This followed up a 31-win season where they were expected to make the Final Four, but lost earlier in the NCAA Tournament. This year, the Tide are once again a team that looks to be good enough to go back to the Final Four and perhaps win it all. They are tasked with replacing three key starters, including Aaron Estrada (who was a big key for them last year), but Mark Sears is back as one of the top players in the country. Like last year, they have some guys transferring in who should fit right into their system, like Clifford Omoruyi from Rutgers. This is a stacked team that will likely be high in the rankings all season long.

-Auburn is not ranked quite as high to start the season as their in-state rivals, but I personally like them as much as Alabama, and perhaps even a little more. Three starters return from a 27-win team a year ago, and while they lost early in the NCAA Tournament they still had a phenomenal season, and I think the way their talent and experience fits in with their style of play makes them one of the most dangerous teams in the country. They have a strong center in Johni Broome who can score, rebound, and defend. They have outstanding athletic guards in JP Pegues who can score, pass, defend, and shoot. JP, along with Denver Jones/Miles Kelly, make up one of the best backcourts in the country for the Tigers. I think Auburn can win the SEC this year and make quite a bit of noise come March.

-Tennessee has won 25 or more games the last three seasons and made it all the way to the Elite Eight last year. This year they have another strong team despite losing four key starters and the expectations are once again really high. Zakai Ziegler returns to run the point, and he will be joined by Chaz Lanier (who was a big time player at North Florida) and Igor Milicic Jr. (who was a standout player at Charlotte). I do not want to doubt this team given their recent history, but the one question I do have is: while they have a lot of really solid players, can they adjust to playing at the level of what the SEC will be this year?

-The John Calipari era has begun at Arkansas!! The Razorbacks were an underwhelming 16-17 last year and were just 6-12 in SEC play, but with an influx of talent including DJ Wagner from Kentucky, Johnell Davis from Florida Atlantic, and Adou Thiero from Kentucky, they have a roster stacked with guys who were standout players on high-level teams. We have seen Calipari’s ability to have talent gel together, and if he can do that this year then Arkansas should be positioned to earn a protected seed and go far in March.

-Texas A&M won 21 games a year ago and made it to the Round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament. With three key starters back, the expectations are even higher this year for the Aggies. They do lose Tyrece Radford, but Wade Taylor IV is back at PG, and is one of the better guards in the country. Zhuric Phelps transfers in from SMU and helps complete what should be an incredibly strong backcourt. They have a fairly solid frontcourt as well, so Uncle Buzz and Co. should have another strong year this year!

-Florida had a very good year last year in Todd Golden’s second year as head coach, and with three starters back from a 24-win team that made the NCAA Tournament, expectations are high again this year. They do lose a very good player in Zyon Pullin, but Walter Clayton Jr. is a fantastic PG and Alijah Martin will be strong at the #2 position, so the backcourt is solid. If some of the guys in the frontcourt can step up and contribute this year the Gators will once again be very dangerous and likely in the Top-25 throughout the season.

-Texas lost their entire starting lineup from a year ago, but expectations are still high for Coach Rodney Terry and the Longhorns after how hard they hit the portal. Jordan Pope, who was a fantastic player for Oregon State, will be the starting PG this year. Tramon Mark comes in from Arkansas and is a really good shooter and scorer. Arthur Kaluma is a strong post player and scorer from Kansas State, so they have managed to restock the cupboard. The question is whether or not they can they gel and play together as a unit.

-Kentucky fans were demanding an overhaul! Well, they got one. Mark Pope replaces John Calipari as head coach, and the Wildcats will have a completely new starting lineup this year. It is a lineup that is heavy on graduate transfers. Lamont Butler from San Diego State is a solid PG, Jaxson Robinson is a solid perimeter player who followed Mark Pope from BYU, Andrew Carr was a solid PF from Wake Forest who can score and rebound, and Amari Williams is another one coming in from Drexel. The Wildcats have proven experience and maturity. The question is how much better are these guys than the ones that left? And, while they are certainly solid, are they as good as some of the rest of the teams in this league? Kentucky looks to me like a very solid top-25 team…but they have been a top-25 team for the last three years. The fans did not think that was good enough. I think they are a long way from being as good as Auburn, or Alabama, or Tennessee, and when they go on the road to places like Clemson, and Gonzaga, Texas, Ole Miss, and Alabama, they are almost assuredly going to struggle. To win just one of those games would be a pretty big accomplishment. What will the attitude of their fanbase be if the season ends and they’re not any better than what they have been the last three years?? Because, well, I do not think they will be.

-Ole Miss showed quite a bit of improvement last year under 1st year coach Chris Beard with a 20-win season. With three starters back from that team, including Matthew Murrell (who opted to stay rather than enter the NBA Draft) and Jaemyn Brakefield who is a strong player in the frontcourt. They also add five very strong-looking transfers to the roster, four of whom were double-digit scorers, so Ole Miss looks to have their strongest team in a while. I think they can make the NCAA Tournament this year, and are good enough to land in the top half of the bracket. It has been a while since we have said this about Ole Miss…but they are good!

-Mississippi State was an NCAA Tournament team a year ago, and Chris Jans is a really solid coach. It seems odd to see them picked to finish as low as 10th this year, but I think that says more about the teams that are ahead of them than it does about the Bulldogs. Josh Hubbard and Claudell Harris Jr. are both prolific scorers, and Kanye Clary is transferring in from Penn State as another great scorer/shooter. I think they are an NCAA Tournament team again this year! It would not shock me at all to see the SEC get as many as ten teams inside the bubble.

-South Carolina had a great season last year with 26 total wins and an NCAA Tournament appearance. Lamont Paris is a fantastic coach, and considering they have two starters back and are adding some guys from the portal who could contribute they should be able to win some games this year. Having said that, I do think they have digressed somewhat and will not be quite as good as they were a year ago, but last year the expectations were almost nonexistent and they ended up having a great year.

-Georgia won 20 games a year ago, which was Coach Mike White’s 2nd year and the best season the Bulldogs have had in a while. With three starters back and given how they finished the season last year there is reason to be excited this year. I like this team, I like what they have coming back, and I think they have added some very strong transfers. Here’s the problem, though. This league is SOOOO good! I think they will win their share of games, and I think they will be very tough to beat at home, but as good as they seem to be, you just get the feeling that on a lot of nights they are going to be swinging over their heads.

-Missouri was awful last year. They won just eight games, and you have to wonder if Dennis Gates is on the hot seat this year. I am not expecting things to be a whole lot better for the Tigers this year. They went winless in conference a year ago, and while I think they will at least win a couple of SEC games, I do not see them competing with any of the top-12 teams in the league.

-Coach Matt McMahon has had a rough two years since coming over from Murray State. They were playing a little better down the stretch at the end of last season, and while two starters are back, I still do not think they can compete with the top-12 teams in the conference. Although, I do think they may be the best out of the remaining four.

-Last year, Porter Moser had a much better second season as head coach than he did in his first season, and won 20 games a year ago. It seems a little strange seeing Oklahoma picked this low. While they are not a basketball blueblood, they have certainly had their share of success. Two starters are back, and there are some guys they got in the portal with solid D-1 experience, and perhaps they can do a little better than finishing just one from the bottom, but…not much better I do not think.

-Mark Byington takes over as Vanderbilt coach after a very successful run at James Madison, and he has his work cut out for him. They were not all that good a year ago, the entire starting lineup is gone, and he has to rebuild in a conference that is unbelievably strong. Wins will likely be very tough to come by this year. He did go into the portal and seems to have a roster that is better than what Vandy has had in a while, so maybe they will not be the doormats of the league.

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The Hoops HD Report: AAC, A10, MWC, and WCC Previews

Posted on October 20, 2024 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE For All of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

It’s one of our favorite podcasts of the entire preseason!! Because it’s actually FOUR podcasts!! It’s the four conferences that aren’t quite good enough from top to bottom to be considered to be at the level of the Power Conferences, but certainly aren’t Under the Radar Conferences Either. All four leagues typically have at least one or two teams inside the bubble, and in the case of Gonzaga we feek they are as good as anyone in the country and a potential Final Four team. UAB and Memphis have high expectations out of the American, we think there are as many as five teams that could make a run at the NCAA Tournament out of the Atlantic 10 with Dayton and VCU leading the way, and the Mountain West, who sent six teams to the NCAA Tournament last year could be in position to get several teams in again.

AMERICAN ATHLETIC:

ATLANTIC 10:

MOUNTAIN WEST:

WEST COAST:

And for all you radio lovers, below are the audio only versions of the shows…

AMERICAN ATHLETIC:

ATLANTIC 10:

MOUNTAIN WEST:

WEST COAST:

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West Coast Conference Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 20, 2024 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE For All of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

WEST COAST CONFERENCE MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Gonzaga
  2. Saint Mary’s
  3. Santa Clara
  4. San Francisco
  5. Washington State
  6. LMU
  7. Oregon State
  8. Portland (tied 8th)
  9. San Diego (tied 8th)
  10. Pacific
  11. Pepperdine

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-WCC TEAM:

-Michael Ajayi – SR, G – Gonzaga
-Adama-Alpha Bal – SR, G – Santa Clara
-Cedric Coward – SR, G – Washington State
-Nolan Hickman – SR, G – Gonzaga
-Graham Ike – SR, F – Gonzaga
-Augustas Marciulionis – SR, G – Saint Mary’s
-Ryan Nembhard – SR, G – Gonzaga
-Jevon Porter – JR, F – LMU
-Mitchell Saxen – SR, C – Saint Mary’s
-Carlos Stewart – SR, G – Santa Clara
-Marcus Williams – SR, G – San Francisco

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-So here is an incredible stat. Gonzaga has made it to the Sweet Sixteen or further in every NCAA Tournament they have played in since 2014. In 2020, when we did not have an NCAA Tournament, they would have likely been a #1 seed. That is amazing. Maybe someone else has accomplished that, but if so I cannot think of who. This year, they are once again expected to be among the ten best teams in the nation, and will likely again earn a protected seed. In an era where teams cannot seem to retain their talent, four starters are back from last year’s Sweet Sixteen team. Graham Ike is still on the roster, after being a standout player at Wyoming for a couple of years. The Zags are stacked. Again. And they look like they have the kind of team that can make it to the Final Four. Again. The only knock on Gonzaga is that they have never won it all, but they are still one of the most accomplished programs of the last decade and by all accounts that success will continue.

-Saint Mary’s is picked to finish 2nd, and while it is likely a very distant second, the Gaels still have a fairly strong roster. They are tasked with replacing Aidan Mahaney (who transferred to Connecticut), and that is a setback, but two other starters are back who averaged double-figures a season ago and I still think they have what it takes to safely make it back to the NCAA Tournament.

-Coach Herb Sendek has won 20 or more games in each of the last three seasons for Santa Clara, but they cannot seem to break through to where they are a regular participant in either the NCAA or NIT Tournaments. Expectations are somewhat high this year as three starters are back from last year’s team, including Adama-Alpha Bal who averaged over 14ppg a season ago. Some other solid D-1 and JUCO transfers also join the roster, so Santa Clara should easily be in the top half of the standings. The question is do they have enough pieces to make the NCAAs?

-San Francisco also returns three starters from a team that won more than 20 games, and also have high expectations this year. Chris Gerlufsen enters his 3rd year as head coach, and he has Marcus Williams/Malik Thomas making up a talented and experienced backcourt. They also add what appear to be some high-level freshmen to the roster, so the Dons look to be heading toward another really solid season.

-Washington State had a great year last year with 25 total wins and a trip to the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. The problem is that virtually everything has changed…including their conference. This is their first year in the WCC, David Riley’s first year as head coach, and they will need to replace their entire starting lineup from a year ago. Cedric Coward, Dane Erikstrup, and Ethan Price all transfer in from Eastern Washington, and all were key players for them a year ago, but they will have to perform at a much higher level to have success in WCC.

-LMU won just 12 total games last year, and while they were not bad in the first half of conference play, they were pretty weak down the stretch. With just two starters back, it could be a rough year for the Lions this year. They were able to score last year as all five starters averaged double figures, but their defense was somewhat lacking.

-Since an unexpected (and almost unprecedented) run to the Elite Eight in 2021, Oregon State has been…well…awful. They did win 13 games last year, which was a bit of an improvement, but they have just one starter back and will have to overhaul their roster. Coach Wayne Tinkle has proven he can win, and they do add some solid transfers from UTR schools who should be able to contribute, and there are a lot of teams in this league that I think they can compete against. Having said all that, I do not see them finishing near the top and think the middle of the standings is their ceiling.

-It is hard to get too excited about a Portland team that lost over 20 games last year and has just two starters back, but they do have a couple guys on the roster who were double-digit scorers a year ago who should be able to contribute this year.

-Like a lot of teams, San Diego is tasked with rebuilding after just one starter is returning from last year’s team. They were a respectable 18-15 last year, but given how they are tasked with rebuilding expectations are rather low this year. They do add a couple of guys who were standout JUCO players, so if they can contribute we may see them finish a little further up from the bottom than where they are being picked to finish.

-Pacific won just six games last year and will replace their entire roster this year. Dave Smart takes over as head coach and he has his work cut out for him. They were one of the worst teams in all of D-1 last year, and while they do have some solid JUCO standouts that should step in and contribute and make the team a little better, I still do not see them finishing anywhere near the top.

-Pepperdine is also having to replace all five starters and just does not seem to have much of anything in the way of strong personnel this year. It will likely be a long year for the Waves. Ed Schilling takes over as head coach, and he has his work cut out for him.

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